benefits entitlement

d**

Hi,

I've done a benefits check on this forum but it says i need further advise on what i am entitled to..

I am homeless and am staying with friend I had a little bit of money and paid it to them towards bills etc .. I'm waiting to see if i can get a claim for JSA allowance accepted. (I previously had a job but had to leave - i won't explain fully why here but they have said they will tell me if I'm entitled because i walked out of my job)

They haven't put me down as living there as a second person to pay council tax, should they do that? am i entitled to housing benefit or do we need a formal arrangement? what are the rules for people who let someone who is homeless stay with them? (they work not claiming any benefits)

i just want to help them out towards putting me up but can't now due to not getting any JSA.

Also would there be any other benefits i can claim?

p00hsticks

How long do you intend staying with your friend ? At what point would you see yourself stopping being 'homeless' and starting to become a 'lodger' ?

McKneff

You are not homeless, you are staying with a friend, if you were homeless, truly homeless you would be sleeping under a bridge or in a homeless hostel temporarily

Sounds like you are already a lodger to be honest.
Staying there and helping to pay bills is the definition of a lodger.

I am just wondering if the 'friend' you are staying with normally lives along and is getting a single person discount. If so and you are staying there, then he/she is not entitled to.

Presumably yu have been sanctioned by JSA because you walked out of your job.

RAS

Friends can have visitors to stay (even people on LHA).

There becomes a point however when you become a lodger. That gives you very few rights to stay there but I suspect if you are using the address to claim benefits then you start to move across that boundary.

If you are sanctioned for leaving your job, you can still apply for hardship payments (60% of JSA) and for CT Benefit and LHA which would be based on what you were paying your mate as a lodger.

You need to talk to the mate as they may or may not want to get involved at that level.

sleepless_saver

McKneff wrote: »

You are not homeless, you are staying with a friend, if you were homeless, truly homeless you would be sleeping under a bridge or in a homeless hostel temporarily

Whether or not you think the OP is homeless, they meet the government's definition of legally homeless as they appear to have nowhere they have a right to live in. You don't have to be sleeping rough to be homeless - just to not have a home.

pmlindyloo

sleepless_saver wrote: »

Whether or not you think the OP is homeless, they meet the government's definition of legally homeless as they appear to have nowhere they have a right to live in. You don't have to be sleeping rough to be homeless - just to not have a home.

Yes, I agree.

However, the OP does not have a priority need (as far as we can tell) so the council would not have an obligation to house him.

However, council also have an obligation to help with housing advice.

I agree with RAS. You need to talk to your friend and find out if he/she is happy for you to become a lodger. You would then be entitled to local housing allowance at the shared accommodation rate (you can look this up on your local council website to find out the amount).

If your friend is not willing to have you as a lodger then the council may help you with the Deposit Bond scheme where they act as a guarantor in the event of damages to the landlord so you can look for a place of your own. The amount of rent they would be willing to pay is based on your age. Under 35 and it is the shared accommodation rate. You could look for a house share or become someone's lodger if you are under 35 or a one bed place if you are over 35. You would also be entitled to Council Tax Support.

If your friend is willing to make the arrangement more formal then a lodger's agreement would be a good idea.

Whichever scenario happens go your local council for some advice.

xylophone

https://www.gov.uk/rent-room-in-your-home/the-rent-a-room-scheme

pmlindyloo

xylophone wrote: »

https://www.gov.uk/rent-room-in-your-home/the-rent-a-room-scheme

Your friend would be able to take advantage of this scheme so he/she did not have to pay tax on the income from your 'rent'.

However, you must look up your entitlement as regards Local Housing Allowance for the shared accommodation rate before you discuss 'rent' (this is presuming your friend is willing to do this) This is the maximum they would pay you.

Therefore the amount charged should be at this rate or below. Otherwise you would have to pay the extra yourself and this might put you in a difficult position financially.

The housing department will need to see some sort of evidence that you are being charged this rent- a lodger's agreement for example.